Circumcision is a very common procedure that is performed on newborn male babies. Most mothers have concerns of the circumcision procedure such a safety risks, necessity of the procedure, as well as the overwhelming question, does Circumcision hurt baby?
Details of the Circumcision Procedure
The circumcision procedure is usually performed while the baby is in the hospital. However, it has become a common practice to even wait a couple of days after the birth of the little boy.
Some hospitals no longer allow circumcisions to be done on location and the mothers will be responsible to schedule a circumcision through his pediatrician.
The mother is given the option as to whether, or not she wants to stay in the room while their son’s procedure takes place. Some mothers want to be there for their sons to help comfort them. Other mothers don’t want to be subjected to that “trauma.”
It is extremely difficult to watch your child go through that event even though they might even be uncomfortable.
Males are born with a layer of skin call the foreskin. The foreskin covers the head (glans) of the penis. When a boy has a circumcision, the foreskin is removed and the head of the penis is exposed. The little boy’s penis is typically done by using a clamp to keep the penis in place and then the doctor will carefully cut the skin away.
There are three different types of ways to perform the procedure. The style that is used depends on the preference of the physician performing the circumcision.
The three different styles include the Gamco Clamp, the Plastibell Device and the Mogen Clamp. You may ask the physician which type they use to learn more information.
The Big Circumcision Debate
To circumcise, or to not circumcise, that is the question.
The circumcision debate is a common argument among parents and is easy for parents to shame others. First of all, don’t shame parents for their choice to circumcise or not. It really isn’t any of your business. Every parent is trying to do the best for their baby.
The argument FOR circumcision:
- Decreased chance of having urinary tract infections
- Decreases chances of penile cancer
- Decreased risk of sexually transmitted diseases
- Decreased risk of giving women infections
- Makes it easier to maintain proper hygiene
The argument AGAINST circumcision:
- Does not immediately help the baby
- May hurt a little bit during the procedure and through recovery
- May cause rare complications: Messing up the cut of the foreskin, foreskin may try to grow back, possibly chance of infection due to procedure.
One of the arguments made by people against circumcision ask the question, “why would they be born with a foreskin if it wasn’t meant to stay?”
No matter the choice that you choose, be sure to respect others decisions for their own baby.
Does Circumcision Hurt Baby?
One of the most common questions with regards to circumcision is whether or not the procedure hurts the baby. The answer is not as straightforward as you would like.
The answer is, it doesn’t have to be painful.
Of course you may believe that the baby would be in unbelievable pain, but many males do not seem to be phased by their procedure if it is done right. The pain of the baby entirely depends on the physician and their ability to perform the procedure efficiently and quickly.
Typically with circumcision the doctor will numb up the area with local anesthesia. Local anesthesia is the most uncomfortable part of the procedure. Once the male part is numbed the doctor can begin the circumcision. The procedure if very quick and shouldn’t take more than a couple of minutes.
Once the doctor has completed their task then they will ask if it will be okay for them to give your little one some Tylenol. The Tylenol will kick in at about the same time that the anesthesia wears off.
I have heard of boys who don’t cry through the procedure and I have even known little boys who have actually fallen asleep during the procedure.
Read the reviews of the physician before you decide to use them to give your child a circumcision. You can very quickly figure out how efficient and painless the physician makes the procedure.
How to Reduce Pain in Circumcision
As parents we want to try to reduce as much pain as we possibly can in our children.
The procedure shouldn’t hurt your baby too much, but I know you want to find ways that can help your child be as comfortable as possible.
When I had my son circumcised I asked about pain management for the little guy. The doctor said that the best thing to do for him was to nurse him every time that he seemed to be sad. It was much like when we are sad and we eat to feel better, babies are the same.
If the baby seems to feel uncomfortable you can try Tylenol as well as Vaseline to cool down the area. If you get desperate you can always try to ice your babies penis over his diaper. Ice is a great way to help with pain.
Conclusion
When little boys have circumcisions they have the procedure shortly after births; typically within hours or only a few days.
A circumcision shouldn’t hurt your little baby and often you probably won’t even hear your son cry. I have even heard of babies who fall asleep during their circumcision. So, don’t you worry about your little boy. He will be fine.
